Handle-attaching means for door latches



fiuly 29 1924a 1,503,281

L. OTTINGER HANDLE ATTACHING MEANS FOR DOOR LATCHES Filed Aug. 10. 1923 24 IN V EN TOR Leon. Dil inger 312:. 4

M ATTO NEY Patented July 29, 1924.

LEON OTTIN'GER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HANDLE-ATTACHING MEANS FOR DOOR LATGHES.

Application filed August 10, 1923. Serial No. 656,660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON OTTINGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handle- Attaching Means for Door. Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to handle attaching means for door latches and has for its primary object to provide certain improvements in the device disclosed in my co-pending application for patent filed January 20, 1923, Serial No. 613,809.

As in the application just referred to I propose to provide the end of the handle shank with a longitudinally split portion adapted to be fitted into the bore of the latch rollback. However, in the present instance, instead of threading the locking and expanding screw into an opening in the rollback, it is one of the important features of the present invention to simplify this former construction by operatively engaging the screw with the shaft end through an opening in the latch case wall and at a point in spaced relation to the rollback whereby the opposed split portions of the shaft may be spread or expanded laterally,

and thus caused to frictionally tightly bind against the walls of the rollback bore to produce a rigid connection between the shaft end and the rollback.

It is another object of the present improvements in one embodiment thereof to provide an improved form and construction of the split end of the handle shaft to coact with the latch rollback and effectively prevent an axial shifting movement of the shaft end in the rollback bore by the application of pressure against the latch handle.

It is also the purpose of the present improvements to provide a device of this character particularly designed for main connection with the latches of automobile doors which will result in a further reduction in this item of manufacturing costs, increase the ease and facility of application..of the latch handle in its connection with the rollback, and at the same time insure a firm, rigid and effective connection between the shaft handle and the rollback.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved handle attaching means for door latches and in the form and construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims:

In the drawing wherein I have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of my present improvements, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a portion of an automobile door illustrating my invention in one embodiment thereof.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the handle shaft end and rollback separated with the improved attaching means;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a slightly modified embodiment of the device and illustrating the relative arrangement of the parts before the expansion of the split shaft;

Figure 4 is a similar horizontal section showing the split shaft end expanded within the bore of the latch rollback;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the split end of the handle shaft shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is a detail vertical section illustrating the application of the present improvement in connection with another form and mounting of the latch rollback; and

Figure 7 is a detail transverse section through the shaft end illustrating an alternative construction.

The latch construction which I have partially illustrated in the accompanying drawing constitutes no essential feature of the present invention, and it will be clearly understood as this description proceeds thatthe subject matter of this application is capable of application and use in connection with many.

.tion with a part of the latch bolt whereby the bolt is retracted when said rollback is oscillated in one direction. As hereln shown, the rollback 7 is provided with a polygonally shaped bore 8, preferably rectan ular, which gradually tapers or increases sli tly in area from the outer to the inner en of the rollback. This bore or opening is, of course, axially co-incident with the centre of oscillation of the rollback.

The door structure 5 has a transversely extending handle receiving opening 9 bored therethrough substantially in line with the rollback 7 In the outer end of this opening a combined handle shaft bearing and escutcheon member 10 is secured. In so far as the present application is concerned, it is not necessary to herein describe in detail the form of this member or the manner in which it is fixed to the door structure, since such subject matter is fully described and claimed in a second co-pending application for patent filed June 28, 1923, Serial No. 648,394. It will therefore suffice to state that this member affords a bearing for the cylindrical portionof the handle shaft 11, and also provides a more or less ornamental escutcheon surrounding said handle shaft at the outer face of the door.

The handle shaft is also formed with a reduced portion 12 extending from its cylindrical portion and of the same cross sectional form or shape as the bore 8 of the rollback. The end of this shaft section 12 is longitudinally split as at 13, thereby providing laterally expansible or separable portions. One of these split portions of the shaft is provided with a threaded opening 14, which is spaced from the end of the shaft for a distance which is slightly greater than the length of the rollback bore 8. It will thus be apparent that when the handle shaft is fitted through the opening 9 in the door and the split end thereof engaged in the bore of the rollback, this opening 14 will be posi- 'tioned contiguous to the outer end of the rollback.

One wall of the latch casing 6 is formed with an angularly disposed end flange 15 whichseats against the vertical edge face of the door 5. This flange is provided with a threaded opening 16 which may be normally closed by means of a suitable plug 17.

It is to be noted that the rollback is mounted in the latch case closely adjacent to the end flange 15, and preferably in such relation thereto that when the latch bolt is in its projected position, the arm or lever of the rollback is in contact with said flange, thus limiting the oscillating or rotating movement of the rollback to normal position.

The attaching or fastening screw 18 is adapted to be'inserted through the opening 16 and engaged in the threaded opening 14, so that the end of the screw will bear against the other opposed portion of the split end of the handle shaft. This screw is slightly longer than the distance between the inner face of the end flange 15 of the casing and the adjacent side face of the shaft section '12. Thus the end of the screw may be caused to properly thread into the opening 14 before the other end thereof has entirely passed through the opening 16. The possibility of the screw dropping into the space between the latch case and the door is thus obviated.

In the application of the handle to the rollback as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, after-the split shaft end 13 has been fitted into the rollback bore 8, the screw 18 isthen threaded into the opening 14 and adjusted so that the end of the screw will exert a bearing pressure against the opposed part of the shaft end and thus laterally separate or expand the split portions of the shaft end relative to each other. The split 13 is of such length, and the shaft possesses suflicient inherent resiliency, that when the split end of the shaft is expanded to the limit, the portions thereof are caused to firmly seat against the edges of the bore 8 at the outer end thereof, while the parts of the split end of the shaft extending into the bore frictionally tightly bind against the opposite side walls thereof. Thus the shaft end is very rigidly fixed within the bore of the rollback so that said shaft and the rollback in effect became a unitary structure, to such an extent at least that owing to the tapering form of the rollback bore and the high degree of clamping frictional pressure of the split end of the shaft with the walls of said bore which may be obtained in the adjustment of the screw 18, axial movement of the shaft end in either direction in the bore of the rollback is effectually prevented.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified construction, in which the split end section of the handle shaft has an outer portion 19 of reduced cross sectional area. At the outer extremity thereof a slight shoulder 20 is formed upon each of the split portions, while at the inner extremity of the reduced part 19 shoulders 21 somewhat more pronounced are formed.

.As shown in Figure 3, when the split shaft end is in its normal condition, the area of the extremity thereof having the shoulders 20 is such that it may readily enter the outer smaller end of the tapering rollback bore and pass through said bore. The inner shoulers 21 abutting against the outer end of the rollback act as stops to limit the insertion of the end portion 19 of the shaft into the rollback bore, and thus insure the proper positioning of the threaded opening 14 opposite the opening 16 in the end flange of the latch casing. At the inner larger end of the rollback bore a, rabbet or countersink 22 is formed. Thus when the expanding screw 18 is inserted and the split end of the shaft is expanded within the rollback bore, the shoulders 20 will be seated in the rabbet or countersink 22. Accordingly, it will be apparent that the shoulders 20 will relieve the threads of the screw 18 of undue strain by, an outward pull on the handle shaft, while the shoulders 21 positively prevent any possibility of inward movement of the shaft end through the bore of the rollback.

In Figure 6 of the drawing I have illustrated another construction and mounting of the rollback in connection with which my invention may be used. In this instance the rollback 7 is produced from a heavy metal stamping, the axial dimension of which, however, is considerably less than that of the rollback 7 shown in Figure 1, so that this modified form of the rollback may be advantageously used in those cases where the latch mechanism must be mounted in a relatively narrow or restricted space. The inner side wall of thelatch casing is provided with an inwardly punched annular flange 23 which affords a bearing support extending into a recess 24 formed in one side of the rollback 7 This rollback at the opposite side of the arm or lever 7 thereof is mounted in the casing plate 6. The reduced split end portion 19 of the handle shaft is inserted through the central opening or bore of the rollback 7 in the manner above described and the shoulders 20 thereof seat against the face of the recess 24 within the flange 23 on the casing wall.

From. the above it will be noted that in each embodiment of the device the shaft end section in the bore of the rollback does not project beyond the inner side face of the casing, such shaft end in the constructions shown in Figures 1 and 4 being flush with the inner end face of the rollback while in the form shown in Figure 6, the shaft end is positioned within the opening in the side plate of the casing surrounded by the flange 23.

In Figure 7 of the drawings I have shown an alternative form of my present invention, wherein the shaft end has the longitudinally extending split 13 as in the construction first described. One part of the shaft, however, is again longitudinally split as at 13- in a plane at right angles to the split 13' to thus provide the two sections 19. The por- 25 therein which receives the adjustable screw 18, said screw having a pointed or conically formed end 18*. The operation of this form of the device will be readily understood. Thus after the reduced split end portion of the shaft has been inserted in the bore of the rollback, the screw 18' is properly adjusted so that its conical end 18 enters the split 13 at the inner side thereof and thus expands or spreads the portions 19 of the shaft end in relatively opposite directions, also urging said shaft sections laterally while at the same time the portion 19' is laterally moved in the opposite direction. Thus the parts of the shaft end are forced tightly at the opposite sides into frictional binding contact with opposed walls of the rollback bore while the two sections 19 thereof are also forced into binding contact with the other opposed walls of said bore. Thus a very tight and secure connectionbetween the shaft end and the rollback is obtained.

From the above description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of use and several advantages of the invention will be clearly and fully understood. It will be seen. that in my present invention I have materially simplified the construction shown in the co-pending application by the elimination of the threaded opening in the rollback so that no change of any kind whatever need be made in the usual construction of this rollback. At the same time, however, the advantageous features of my original invention are substantially retained, in that a rigid and practically immovable connection between the handle shaft and the rollback can be easily and quickly efl'eoted from the exterior; of the latch case, after the latter has been applied to the door and without necessitating the removal or cutting of the upholstery material covering the inner face of the latch case. I

I have herein shown and described several simple and desirable embodiments of the invention, but it is, nevertheless to be understood that the device may also be embodied in numerous other alternative structures, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim 1. In combination, an actuating member having a shaft receiving bore, an operating shaft for said member having a split expansible end portion adapted to be fitted within said bore, and adjustable means engaged with the split end of said shaft exteriorly of said bore to expand the parts of the shaft end into frictional binding engagement with the walls of said bore.

2. In combination, an actuating member having a shaft receiving bore, an operating shaft for said member provided with an end portion longitudinally split for a distance greater than the length of said bore,

the extremity of said split portion adapted to be fitted within said bore, and an adjustable element having threaded engagement in one of the split parts of said shaft and adapted to coact with the other split part thereof to expand said shaft parts in relatively opposite directions into frictional binding engagement with the walls of said 3. In combination with the door latch having a rollback provided with a bore, an operating handle shaft having a split expansible end portion, and means adjustably engaged with one of the split parts of said shaft exteriorly of the rollback bore and adapted to coact with the other split part thereof, to expand-said shaft parts in relatively opposite directions into frictional ginding engagement with the walls of said 4. In combination with a door latch having an actuating rollback provided with a bore, an operating handle shaft having a split expansible end portion of greater length than the length of said bore and adapted to be fitted therein, and a member adjustable transversely of the shaft axis exte'riorly of the bore of the rollback to expand said split portions in opposite directions into frictional binding engagement with the walls of said bore.

5. In combination with a door latch having an actuating rollback provided with a bore, an operating handle shaft having a longitudinally split expansible end portion of greater length than the length of said bore, and an adjustable screw threaded in one part of the split end portion of said shaft exteriorly of the rollback bore and coact-ing with the other part of said split end portion to expand said end portions of the shaft in relatively opposite directions and into frictional binding engagement with the walls of said bore.

6. In combination with a door latch having an actuating rollback and a-casing enclosing the latch mechanism, one wall of said casing being provided with an opening spaced from the rollback and said rollback having a bore, an operating handle shaft for said rollback having a longitudinally split end portion of greater length than the length of said bore, and means insertable through the opening in the casing wall and adjustable transversely of the shaft axis c0- acting with the split portions of said shaft to expand the same in relatively opposite directions into frictional binding engagement witlrthe walls of said bore.

7. In combination with a door latch having an actuating rollback and a casing enclosing the latch mechanism, one wall of said casing being provided with an opening spaced from the rollback and said rollback having a bore, an operating handle shaft for said rollback having a longitudinally split end portion of greater length than the length of said bore, one of said split portions of the shaft having a threaded opening, and a screw insertable through the opening in the casing Wall and adjust-ably engaged in said threaded opening to coact with the other splitend portion of the shaft exteriorly of the rollback bore and expand said split portions of the shaft in relatively opposite directions into frictional binding engagement with the walls of said bore.

8. In combination with an automobile door latch having an actuating rollback provided with a bore and a countersink formed in the rollback at one end of said here, an operating handle shaft for said rollback having a split expansible end portion reduced in area for a part of its length to provide space shoulders thereon, said reduced part of the split end of the shaft adapted for insertion through the bore of the rollback, and means for expanding the split portions of the shaft in relatively opposite directions to thereby seat the shoulders at one end of said reduced part in said countersink'at the end of the rollback bore, the shoulders at the other end of the reduced part of the shaft abutting against the opposite end of the rollback whereby axial movement of the shaft end in either direction with respect to the rollback is prevented.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, and have signed my name hereunder.

3 LEON OTTINGER. 

